Happy Mother’s Day!

Posted by Ali on May 08 at 10:02 am

At Lima Beads we know how important Mom’s role is. Mom made us who we are today. Mom is always going to give advice (whether or not we want it ). Mom unconditionally loves us. Mom makes a really great babysitter. Mom loves to be a Mom.

I though it might be fun to see Mother’s Day through the eyes of our team leaders at Lima Beads.

What is the most special thing you did for your Mom on Mother’s Day?

Ali: My Mom is big into family traditions. Every year growing up my dad would make reservations for brunch at Gratzi at a table by the window. She loves it there, but I think she really loved all of us there with her. I usually start to get some subtle hints being dropped about 2 weeks before m-day like – “I just love longer chunky necklaces” or ” I was looking for something to wear with my new top and realized I didn’t have anything with pink, orange, blue, purple, and gold, hmmmmmmmmmmm”. I guess subtly is not my Mom’s way… So I typically make something special for my Mom as a thank you. She gets the biggest smile on her face so I know she really loves it.

Kevin: One year when I was probably 7 or 8, I wanted to get my Mom something really special. My Dad took me to Hudson’s department store, we went up to the second floor where they kept the “fancy stuff” and started shopping. I picked out this ceramic musical thing that was about 12″ tall. It had a guy sitting on a wooden box and when you flipped the switch, it played “When The Saints Go Marching In” with a trumpet sound. I was extremely proud of this thing, I couldn’t wait to give it to her. She loved it! It graced our mantle until I went away to college. It never got turned on, so one day in high school I flipped the switch to discover that it was really annoying. After I left for college, it got relocated to the basement. She kept it on the mantle for more than 10 years though – now, that is love.

Steve: A few years ago, I told my mom that I wouldn’t be able to make a visit on Mother’s Day, and I ended up surprising her. Talk about a surprise! I think she was speechless–or maybe just on candid camera.

Matt: My Mom loves when I garden with her. Almost every year I come over around Mother’s Day to help her plant or weed or whatever.

Cathy: My parents have a home in Florida. Therefore come Mother’s Day they are still soakin’ up the sun. My family decided it would be a great idea to fly down there and surprise her. I think it was really a treat for both of my parents. Dad was just as excited as Mom!

Favorite Mom Memory

Ali: Many of you don’t know this, but I was an avid athlete growing up – basketball, soccer, track . . . Mom was always there for every event. If she had no idea what was going on, she would learn. She always offered great support. My favorite Mom memory favorite Mom memory takes place at the end of my high school basketball season at the end of our game at the Regional Finals. The assistant coach was a real piece of work, looking back now I still feel that he was a “small man”. My mom finally got fed up with the way he treated the girls on the team all season and laid into him in front of the whole gym! I loved her standing up for me.

Kevin: I have a lot of great Mom memories from childhood, but I think my current favorite is the night Payton was born. My parents were down in Ann Arbor helping out with Lima Beads (as they often are) and after work, we went back to our house for some dinner and a little Wii bowling. About an hour into this family fun, Ali’s water broke and being a first time dad, my head exploded. My mom has always been there for me. I’ve always had a strong anchor, a good source of common sense, and source of confidence. My parents stayed at the hospital late into the night. I didn’t know what the heck I was doing, but having my Mom there kept me calm and gave me no doubt that everything would be OK.

Steve: My favorite memories with Mom were made on the vacations we took when I was a child. This is especially true when we would visit her hometown in Alpena, MI in the summers, and she would take me and my brother to all the hot spots when she grew up. Bonus points to anyone who’s heard of “Lee’s Mini Golf.”

Matt: My favorite Mom memory was when I broke my arm on the playground in third grade. It was a pretty bad break. I broke both bones in my wrist, and had to have reconstructive pins surgically placed in my upper arm. She was a trooper through the whole thing. I’ll always remember the look on her face as she walked into the school office to pick me up. It was a look of sympathy, but it was also reassuring. She probably wanted to break down at the sight of my U-shaped forearm, but she held it together quite well. It’s good because at 7 years old, I totally would’ve freaked out if my Mom started to cry.

Cathy: My poor mother would load all 4 of us kids into our conversion van for the trek up north. This is when we lived in Ohio so it was a good 8 to 10 hour drive (depending on how many potty breaks there were). She would try to pack all kinds of food and games for us so we wouldn’t fight the whole ride. I really am not sure how many times she told us she was going to turn the van around and go home if we didn’t straighten up, but she never did. She would be so tired by the time we got there. All of us of course had slept the whole drive so we wanted to go swimming. She would do this summer after summer for us because she knew how much all of us loved it up there!

Plans for your Mom this Mother’s Day

Ali: This is my 1st Mother’s Day. I think that we will probably have a cookout with our Moms on Saturday, maybe have brunch at our house on Sunday. Who knows, Kevin and I are very last minute. I do know however that I don’t want to have to think about anything.

Kevin: Each year, Ali and I have gone up to the town where our parents live to have a cookout. This year is different though because Ali is a mom too. I think we’re going to visit our parents on Saturday and then do something at our house on Sunday. I want to make sure Ali gets to have the relaxing, pampered Mother’s Day that she deserves. As long as my mom gets a hanging basket for the front porch and gets to see Payton, Ali, and Me (probably in that order) I know she’ll be happy

Steve: I’ve already played the “surprise” card. So, I’m trying to coordinate some plans where it can be a family occasion (we have family spread around Michigan). Any excuse to find a nice restaurant is OK with me.

Matt: For the past 3 or 4 years, I’ve gotten into the tradition of giving my Mom Fiesta dishes for Mother’s Day, her birthday and Christmas. She collects all of the colors. This Mother’s day, I’ll probably be on a plane for most of the day. Deidra and I are going to Florida with her family for a short vacation. I think she’s picking us up from the airport, so I’ll at least get to see her. We’re probably going to have a nice dinner after we get back from the trip.

Cathy: My husband traditionally invites his whole family over to our house for dinner. This is a big deal because he has 5 siblings. He cooks dinner for all of us so his mother and I don’t have to lift a finger. We are not even allowed to do the dishes afterwards!

To all the Mom’s — Happy Mother’s Day! Share your stories below, if you like.

I’ve always (since I’ve been making jewelry) given mom a special jewelry piece that I made. Since it’s almost a tradition, she sometimes gives me hints as to what she wants. This year it will be a “Chicky Nest”!

Little Chick, what a great idea! My Mom is 92 years old and lives in a personal care home. It’s hard to find something as a gift now that she really doesn’t need/can’t use much. Flowers are nice but don’t last. A Chicky nest would be a great idea!! Happy Mother’s Day to everyone at Lima Beads and all the wonderful beaders/designers that I have met over the last few months!

Happy first Mother’s Day Ali!
For my first Mother’s Day my husband gave me an opal neclace (my daughter’s birthday. This year that baby, my 17 year old daughter, Sam, is taking me to brunch.
Happy Mother’s Day to all my friends at LB

Spending a different kind of Mother’s Day with my Mom this year. We moved her to an assisted living facility in February. My Dad passed away 30 years ago when I was 17 years old. My Mom has been on her own every since and has over the passed 3 years had many falls. It was in a way heartbreaking for my sister and I to move her, but it is the safest place for her right now. My sister and I are going to the Mother’s Day Tea this afternoon hosted by the facility. Much different this year, but still special in its own way.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mommies here. My daughters are with their dads this weekend(divorced twice)but we will do something together later on. I’m finishing up my mom’s gift today, hopefully she will like it